Second Generation
by Corrupted-Phoenix
Summary: Inuyasha gave his life to finally destroy Naraku, and a broken teenager returns to her own era. Years later, Kagome adopts a son in hopes she will gain a normal life. Too bad that hope isn't real. [Discontinued.]
1. Goodbye

**Mistress Phoenix**: I really shouldn't be writing another story while I'm still busy with others, and seeing as it takes me forever to get things done, but I love this plot so much I had to write it! Anyways, this a lot darker than my other writings, and there is character death in throughout the story, so.. yeah.

And this chapter is one of the more angsty ones, just to let you know. But that's what I'm going for, so if you like tragedy and/or angst I think you might enjoy this, but that's just my opinion.

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own InuYasha or any mentioned characters. Although I would very much like too. Nyeh.

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_She couldn't see anything anymore._

Tears clouded her vision, blinding her almost completely. Her eyes were so horribly red and puffy now, and right now she doubted if they would ever return to their normal state, her soul feeling so broken. Kagome then blinked her stinging, terrible tears away, but the oncoming flow of sorrow and regret forced her brown eyes to be once again fogged over with overwhelming salty tears, each one stinging even more than the last.

Kagome hugged her pillow tighter than she had already had it, only her eyes visible from behind the damp, tearstained white pillow.

_She knew that this day may someday come._

But when this day did come, she would never in her existance have thought she would be here, in her own room in present Japan. Not here.

_Not so far away from him._

Her long fingers delicately ran along the strong hilt of the dominant sword Tetsuiagia, and the red robe of the fire rat sat quietly beneath it, partially tearstained from Kagome's crying, just as her pillow was.

"InuYasha.."

Even though she had only spoken one single word, anyone could tell that this girl was terribly upset, she having have choked horribly over the familiar and loved name.

Suddenly, Kagome broke into a hysterical fit of tears and was unable to make her shoulders stop shaking. Her tears dropped on the sword beneath her, and the fifteen year old did not cease her sobbing, not even for a moment.

**- FLASHBACK -**

Instead of millions of pieces, the Shikon no Tama was currently in only two.

All the shards had been finally found and pieced together, each side having their own share. The two pieces were not of equal size, but they were both within the close distance.

The majority of the jewel was in the possession of the iniquity hanyou dubbed Naraku, while the rest was carefully hung around Kagome's neck, as it normally was.

InuYasha faced their enemy, ready to battle.

"I will prevail, InuYasha!"

Naraku's voice had remained sounding calm but there was no mistaking the confidence and natural harshness in his voice. InuYasha growled in anger, his grip tightening greatly on the hilt of his sword.

"I'm gonna destroy you once and for all, Naraku!"

InuYasha's arrogant answer came within seconds, and the dog hanyou soon raised his mighty sword again, ready to attack this horrible half demon.

The whole gang was currently present, and all six were positive that this would be the final battle, the battle that would determine the fate of the Shikon Jewel.

_The final battle, finally here._

The demon they were battling was Naraku himself, not one of his many puppets.

The mêlée suddenly burst into full force, even Shippo was helping out with his weak kitsune powers. Kirara used her fangs and claws, Sango used her boomerang and demon exterminating skills, Miroku used his powers and Kagome used her arrows. This battle would end in death.

After nearly ten minutes of battle, everyone was hurt in some way, some more so than others. Shippo was the least wounded, only having small cuts and bruises from being roughing thrown aside and Kirara was covered with minor cuts. Sango's left arm had been badly wounded, Miroku's body ached from powerful blows and Kagome shared the same status with Sango, also having a wounded limb. But InuYasha was the one most badly wounded.

There were three deep, painful cuts in his left cheek that had still not ceased to bleed, and his chest had been pierced twice by Naraku's tentacles. The hanyou's left leg also sported a deep, long slash which was bleeding just as much as the two wounds in his chest, which cause him to stand lopsided. The fire rat coat he normally wore had been torn so badly, it was lying in an unmoving heap to the side, its figure as a coat almost completely destroyed.

Naraku was wounded with deep slashes, but he was still much stronger than the InuYasha and his companions. Things looked horribly bleak for InuTaisho's half-demon son and his close-knit friends.

"I wont let you win, Naraku."

InuYasha said lowly, coughing up blood only seconds after. He knew now what he had to do. He knew now what must be done.

_"Father..."_

The hanyou glanced at his father's sword that he held in his hands, his pleading voice shown through his eyes.

_"...I don't want to have to ask you anything, but I need your help right now, father. I need your strength to defeat Naraku for the final time! For Miroku, for Sango, for Kagome! Naraku must be destroyed for the sacred jewel, even if that means certain scarifice. Please, Father... Help me. Just this once."_

InuYasha closed his eyes and raised his sword above his head. A breeze swept past him and the hanyou felt a sense of gratitude and power slowly fill him, the feeling similar to having a close friend by your side. He opened his eyes, a stronger look in them now. Eyes that weren't his, but his father's.

_No._ They were his eyes. His father's eyes, InuYasha's eyes.

_Equals._

"Die, Naraku!"

He yelled loudly, jumping from the ground to finally end this terrible war. He could have sworn he had heard a familiar voice yell the same phrase with him, but it wasn't his friends, for they were watching in silence. It was his father, he knew it.

He'd finally proven himself as InuTaishio's son. Not overruling him, not proving to be better than him. But proving to be his equal. Something to be much more proud of than anything for the mighty demon's son.

Kagome watched InuYasha in silent awe and slight astonishment as he cut away Naraku's tentacles with overwhelming strength, quickly coming to Naraku's main body. It was now or never.

"Bakuryuuha!"

The sword's most powerful attack was abruptly shot at Naraku with blinding speed and brute strength. In fact, it was much stronger than the normal Back Slash. It was, indeed, the Bakuryuuha but it had the strength of nearly three of them together. InuYasha's most powerful attack ever. Kagome and the others watched in both trepidation and happiness as InuYasha defeated the evil hanyou for the final time. Naraku's words had become a screaming call that was filled with pain and defeat.

But InuYasha had used all his strength to finally destroy the wretched demon and, already horribly and deeply wounded, he doubted he would even be able to live through this him. Giving in to the dreadful call of death, InuYasha finally let himself fall to the ground limply. There had been a small chance of him surviving this, even if it took him forever to heal, but what happened next instantly deleted any possible chance of survival.

Naraku had not yet died completely, and with his last bit of energy and will not to be defeated, one of his many tentacles shot through InuYasha within seconds, piercing his heart.

_Just too much pain._

The canine hanyou couldn't even scream out in his pain, though it was overwhelming and was searing through every inch of his wounded body.

His battered and near lifeless body then heavily hit the ground, his sword landing right next to him, transforming back into its dull state. The dull, tired sword sat calmly aside it's dying master, unharmed. How sickly ironic.

Paralyzed by both shock and fear, his friends could not move in any way. Their eyes had become both fearful and sorrowful, though the emotion of sheer shock was clearly seen within them.

Kagome stared in terror at his unmoving body, and she was able to muster enough courage and strength to move.

She dropped her weapon abruptly to the ground and ran to Inuyasha's side, falling to the ground next to him, her body creating a small dust cloud as they made contact with the cold, hard ground. Tears formed in her eyes.

_'No! No, no, no! This couldn't be happening, this shouldn't be happening!'_

"InuYasha?"

She choked on his beloved name, seeing his silvery hair scarlet with his blood. His wounds looked that they wound not heal and Kagome could see that that were incredibly deep.

"InuYasha!"

"Kagome..."

The simple word he had spoken caused InuYasha such pain to his chest and lungs, and he coughed up his own blood. He was bleeding internally.

But hopeful that he was still alive, she lightly touched him, wanting him to know she was right there but his side. But even that hurt him. He winced terribly and whimpered significantly at her painful touch, in great pain. But he continued to speak to the teenager, trying his very best to ignore the pain in his body, even if just a little.

"Take the sword... And the robe..."

InuYasha knew he wouldn't make it through this. Not this time. His words only caused Kagome to cry even more.

"Don't say things like that!"

Kagome knew he would die. She just knew it. But she couldn't let him die, she couldn't! InuYasha could not die on her now! InuYasha ignored her words.

"Kagome, I..."

In it's appalling, cruel nature, death cut him off abruptly, not allowing him to continue his statement, stealing his soul away from her. He had never said it before, yet when he was finally going to, death stopped him. His soul silenced, Kagome never got to know what the one she loved was going to tell her.

_Sickly twisted irony._

Sobbing, Kagome touched him again, but this time he did not whimper. She shook him gently, quietly repeating his name over and over, wanting so much to hear his voice one more time. InuYasha did not move, nor did he wake.

"InuYasha!"

Broken, Kagome fell in a heap overtop of the one she had loved for so long, crying her heart out and becoming stained with his spilled blood, both his and her blood now staining her white and green clothing.

_Completely broken._

Her friends stood to the side in sorrow. They knew how badly wounded the girl was now at InuYasha's death, and they also knew that it may be best simply to leave her be.

**- END FLASHBACK -**

Kagome sat up, wiping her sodden cheeks and eyes. The pillow was still held tightly in her grasp, and it now seemed to be much thinner than it should have been, due to Kagome's tight clasp.

The recent memory brought so very much pain to the girl. She wished over and over that she had done more to help, anything that might have let InuYasha live, even if that meant she would have to die instead. Anything for him.

_Anything._

She soon buried her face into the damp pillow, unable to stop the horrible memories from coming back to her.

**- FLASHBACK -**

After having had sobbed for how long, Kagome did not know, she then lifted her head slowly from InuYasha's lifeless and torn body, a appallingly sorrowful look in her eyes. She gently touched the Tetsuigia, silent tears rolling down her cheeks.

_'Take the sword... And the robe...'_

That's what he had said to her.

She then grasped the sword's hilt in her left hand and stood, nearly falling over in her weak state. The teenager slowly walked to where InuYasha's tattered robe lay and gently bundled the sword within the rare jacket. Her tears feel lightly onto the robe.

Kagome then stood and began to walk away.

_Simply walk away._

"Kagome?"

She ignored Sango's voice completely.

"Kagome! Wait, don't go!"

Kagome turned around to face her friends, noticing that Miroku was now by InuYasha's body, Shippo at his side. Sango was now standing in front of her friend, Kirara in her full cat form standing at her side.

"I'm leaving Sango! I cant stay here, not now, not anymore! Not ever!" She was blinded by tears, and her voice was cracked and she choked unpleasantly on her sorrow. "I cant stay. Take the jewel shard! I cant stay!"

She ripped the shard from her neck and threw it to the ground in devastating abhorrence, knowing that this atrocious jewel was the cause of Inuyasha's death, even if indirectly.

She turned on her heels and ran. She held the sword tightly to her body as she ran and she did not, not even once, look back. Never again would she go through so much pain.

_Never._

_Never again._

**- END FLASHBACK -**

In a loud scream of both anger and pain, Kagome threw the pillow to the floor with such force that the feathers in it were soon floating about her room. She knocked her books and many other items off of her desk violently and fell to the ground in appalling regret. She clutched her head, as if trying to rid herself of terrible memories. She kneeled over and was now curled in a tight ball on the floor, crying incoherently.

And there she lie until she slowly fell asleep. Not once did her tears stop until the moment she had finally drifted into sleep.

_Not once._


	2. Not Coming Back

**Mistress Phoenix**: If you're wondering about the title, then this chapter will probably enlighten you a little as to why I called it this :P And there is something else in the future but we aren't there yet, are we?

Yush, I have it all planned out :B I'm so organizedly evil.

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own the series InuYasha or any of its characters. Unfortunately.

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_**Feudal Era**_

Miroku's deep blue eyes glanced up at the tall, sacred tree before him, a look of sorrow lingering in openly within them.

Next to him on his left side, Sango gently placed two single flowers at the base of the everlasting tree, uttering a soft prayer shortly after. The flowers were a beautiful pink and blue species, and their steams were long and bright green. Their leaves were perfectly curved into ovals and untouched by insects or disease.

How incredibly beautiful those flowers were. They were still young and growing, as InuYasha had been... but now they would die because of their lack of needed resources. Just like InuYasha. In fact, the rare flower closely represented that half demon creature.

The monk then stood, bowing his head slightly in respect for the new grave.

Eight days had passed since that ghastly day of the final battle. InuYasha was buried under the sacred God Tree, making the tree not only a sacred life form, but now also the peaceful resting place for a loved individual.

The tree's long, strong branches seemed to curve inwards vaguely in a shielding and protective way, keeping the soulless being now beneath it safe from harmful intruders. His name was painted onto the Tree's trunk with great care, along with a small prayer for a well afterlife.

"Miroku, do you think Kagome will return soon?"

Sango asked softly, looking up at the monk that she knew she loved.

Kagome had not returned once since that day of InuYasha's death. She'd run off with the powerful sword and returned to her time, and that was the very last time they saw her. They had truly thought Kagome would have returned by now, and so they waited to finally bury InuYasha's lifeless body.

But she did not return.

Her friends could not longer wait and, though it created a dreadful knot in their hearts to do so, had put InuYasha to rest without the one who had loved him so dearly even anywhere nearby.

Now, a total of eight long, agonizing days had passed and the distraught teen had still not come back.

"Kagome probably just needs more time to be alone, and then she will return."

Miroku answered Sango's question, though there was doubt in his voice. But eight days was enough, surely... wasn't it? She had loved InuYasha, wouldn't she have at least been present until they buried him? Perhaps this was too much for her to handle. Perhaps she really wasn't coming back this time.

Worry for her friend was clear through Sango's eyes. Never had Kagome left for so long.

But then, so many good things had happened with Naraku's defeat, why was she so distressed by Kagome's eight-day absence? That anguish was almost as strong as the anguish she held for InuYasha's death.

Because Naraku had been killed, many positive occurrences had taken place. For one, Sango's little brother Kohaku had returned to normal, and he was once again free, able to do as he pleased. Kagura was also free from Naraku's shameful control, and lived in immense debt to InuYasha and his friends for her freedom.

Miroku's wind void had finally disappeared for good, and he was finally able to live without the protection of prayer beads. Many creatures who had been affected by Naraku's evil doing had felt they were at last retaliated. But there was one important thing that happened.

The Shikon no Tama was finally restored.

After Naraku's defeat, his half of the jewel was taken and pieced together with Kagome's half, completing the jewel.

They decided that it be best that they bury the jewel with InuYasha, for it only seemed appropriate. InuYasha had always wanted to use the jewel to become a full demon and so now he finally had the jewel to do so. Even if he did not wish to become a full demon anymore, the hanyou's soul would still be able to make one wish. One final wish.

He deserved at least that.

The jewel was now protected by an everlasting spell that concealed its scent and presence. No one, demon or no, would ever be able to find the jewel by scenting it out. Never. It was eternally protected now.

Kikyou had purified the evil Shikon jewel that Naraku had had in his possession, seeing as Kagome was absent. Normally, the undead miko wouldn't even think of doing anything to help them in any way, but she knew InuYasha would finally able to with her in the afterlife, in hell.

Kikyou had then fallen back into hell, where she knew she would finally be with the one she loved. InuYasha had finally died, and now Kikyou knew she would decide to return to where she had come from. Finally, she had felt truly happy.

Sango then stood, picking up her giant boomerang. She sighed and started to head back to Kaede's village, not looking back at Miroku though she did speak to him once more.

"I'm still worrying, Miroku."

Miroku sighed and uttered a few soft words to InuYasha before walked after the youkai exterminator, looking back at the tree and now his friend's grave over his shoulder one last time.

_**Present Day Japan**_

Eight days.

That was how long Kagome had avoided the feudal era now. It was how long ago Kagome had cried so hysterically in her room. It was how long ago InuYasha had died.

The powerful sword dubbed Tetsuigia had been tightly wrapped up in InuYasha's old robe, though the fire rat coat was terribly torn and tattered. The bundled up sword was quietly sitting in Kagome's closet, the door to it tightly closed as if it were home to a horrifying monster in a child's room and imagination.

But to Kagome, the sword was a nightmare.

The teenager was currently alone at home, her brother being at a soccer practice and the rest of her family out to the stores to pick up a few items. Kagome had always wanted to finally be alone, to be able to let loose for a bit, and so she was grateful for this time alone.

The young girl then walked from her own kitchen to her yard, the slight chill in the air making a minor shiver run down her spine. She hugged her warm deep green sweater closer to her body, appreciating the warmth it gave her. Kagome then glanced to her right, her brown gaze resting upon the little shrine which held that faithful portal.

She didn't want to go to it.

Kagome's will wanted for her to turn away and completely forget about that dreadful era, but her traitorous mind screamed for her to go to it, even if only for a moment. Two tugs on her heart pulled in opposite directions.

But the fifteen-year-old soon gave in to her conscience, finding herself walking towards the familiar place on her land.

Kagome's cold hand lightly ran over the door to the shrine for only an instant, but to her it seemed as though it was eternity. Pushing her hesitant movements and thoughts away, she opened the sliding door completely in a matter of seconds.

Tears burned the backs of her eyes, but they were unable to completely make their way out of Kagome's auburn eyes.

Slowly descending the few stairs there were, Kagome kept her arms tightly around her slightly cold body and her gaze never left the well.

"InuYasha.."

The beloved name was whispered yet again by the heartbroken girl as she leaned over the well. She stared down the dark well, only vaguely picking out the bottom of it. To the side, Kagome also noticed the rope ladder in which she had always used when returning to her own time era.

This was what forced the tears out of her eyes.

"InuYasha... I loved you. I do love you. And I miss you so much.."

Her words were but a hoarse whisper, and a few silent tears rolled off her cheeks and fell down into the well, Kagome unable to see them hit the ground, though the dull and only slightly audible echo told her that they had reached the ground.

Suddenly, the young miko abruptly tore the rope ladder from the well's side and let it fall to the ground within the dry well, her flow of tears now slowing.

"I cant go back. Never again."

With those last words, Kagome ran out of the shrine, slamming the door sadistically behind her.

**_Feudal Era_**

Six more days had passed now, creating a grand total of fourteen days without Kagome's presence.

Two weeks, two whole weeks. Such a long time.

Miroku peered down the well, as if expecting Kagome to suddenly appear once again. He worried for her. Sango and Shippo also stood by the well, watching it intently. Even Kirara was concerned for the teenaged ningen.

"She's not coming back... is she?"

Shippo asked, his voice and tone deeply saddened. He looked up at Miroku and Sango, the ones who had been caring for him since Kagome had left, waiting and wanting for them to answer him.

"Shippo.."

Sango didn't want to hurt the poor child even more than he was already, but she knew he was right. Kagome was not coming back. Not ever again.

"Yes Shippo, I do believe Kagome had chosen to stay in her own time era for good."

Miroku said, feeling as though he must tell the child the bitter truth. Shippo then frowned in sadness, his sorrow shown clearly through his eyes, the small tears also proving his unhappiness. Even though Sango was not a child as Shippo was, she was still greatly distressed by this news. Unable to stop herself anymore, she threw her arms around Miroku in a tight hug, crying into his shoulder.

She'd lost her best friend, and she felt so hurt and alone because of it.

Miroku blinked, taken aback but Sango's sudden hug and open sorrow. But his eyes soon softened and her hugged Sango in a comforting way. His 'perverted' side was shunned.

"I shouldn't cry."

Sango said, pulling away slightly after a moment of crying into the monk's shoulder. But before Miroku or Shippo could say anything to the youkai exterminator, Sango smiled and said something more to her friends.

"Kagome's made her choice. I hope she'll be happy now."

Sango said, gazing at the well. Miroku looked over at the Bone Eater's Well and hesitated before answering the young woman in some way.

"You're right Sango. I hope she'll be happy with her life now as well. She no longer has a burden upon her shoulders."

Sango then walked over to the kitsune child and gently picked him up, Shippo greatly appreciating the comfort, hugging his new guardian tightly.

"We'll care for you, Shippo."

With that, she and Miroku walked away from the well to start a new life, Kirara at their heels. And from a stranger's point of view, the four would have looked like a close-knit and long-lived family.

**---- FIVE YEARS LATER ----**

_**Present Day Japan**_

A twenty year old woman looked up at a large, tall tree, brown eyes showing a soft emotion. The wind blew her short black hair about lightly and it tickled her nose, though the young woman did not sneeze or try to brush the stray hair away.

The woman's name was Kagome Higurashi and the young lady was currently in her own yard, staring intently at the large tree on her property.

Now twenty, Kagome was a grown young woman. She was educated and she had a well-paying job, and she was very attractive. But with her good looks, anyone would have thought she was taken, maybe even married, or at least have had an old boyfriend of some sort.

But she didn't. Kagome Higurashi was, and had been single ever since she was fifteen.

No one but her and her family knew the reason. Kagome could never get over Inuyasha's death. She loved him, loved him beyond belief. She could not love any other man, never. Not after what happened.

Even if she tried to find a man for herself, she would feel the sense of great betrayal. The young woman just knew that she could never be with another man.

But she wanted a family now, oh how greatly she wanted a family of her own. Her beloved grandfather had silently and peacefully passed away just two years ago, and only last month did her mother and brother move to the other side of town, leaving Kagome with the house. She was so lonely now, only Buyo was around to keep her company.

And the horrible memories.

Every time she looked at the old shrine, she would feel a terrible ripping feeling in her heart. The feeling had bothered her so much, pained her so much, that she violently boarded it up with many boards of plywood, not wanting herself or anyone to ever be inside it ever again.

The twenty year old then retreated back into her home, the autumn chill making her shiver and realize that the temperature had dropped. She walked into her kitchen and got herself a warm cup of coffee, soon reading through the day's newspaper.

She wasn't paying much attention to what the articles were actually saying, and her eyes were simply moving down the page, searching for something of interest. A small advertisement in the bottom right corner of this page caught her attention in seconds.

It read: "Sunny Orphanage, where every child needs a loving home!"

The whole advertisement was quite cheesy sounding, but Kagome didn't care. She had always wanted a child of her own, though did not want to be with another man. Perhaps this is what she was looking for; maybe fate had finally taken pity upon her.

Reading the phone number, Kagome reached for the phone and began to dial the number. She paused at the fourth number, wondering if this is really what she wanted.

Am I ready for this?

She bit her lip nervously, doubting herself. After a few minutes of hesitation, Kagome then hung up the phone and re-dialed the number completely this time, making up her mind that she could and wanted to adopt a child.

"Sunny Orphanage, how may I help you?"

Kagome almost forgot what to say when the overly-cheery lady answered the phone, her excitement now controlling her.

"Yes, I would like to adopt a child; can I make an appointment for sometime tomorrow?"

"Oh yes, dear! What is your name?"

"Ms. Kagome Higurashi."

Kagome could hear the woman typing away on her computer, obviously filling out an appointment. She asked a few more basic questions, and Kagome answered them without hesitation.

The moment she had hung up the phone, the twenty year old slipped into a coat and ran to her car, going out to buy what she needed for a new arrival.

After nearly five hours of shopping for baby items, Kagome had returned home with diapers, baby food, baby clothing and even a brand new cradle and high chair for the new child. She chose for her infant to live in her little brother's old room, so set up everything in there, filling the toy chest with toys of all kinds, whether they be new or passed down.

By the end of the day, the cozy little room was ready for a new inhabitant.

Pleased with her work, Kagome stood in the doorway and admired the room, smiling brightly the whole time. Just the sight of the child's room made her excitement and happiness increase greatly. She then reached to her right and gently switched the light off, walking over to her room next-door.

Kagome slept soundly this night, and the only dreams she had were ones that made her feel incredibly happy.

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Mistresss Phoenix: How did you like this chapter? Review and tell me! And I deeply apologize to you tragedy-lovers for having such a joyful ending in this chapter, but don't worry, more tragedy'll come soon enough :P


	3. Passing Time

**Mistress Phoenix**: OKAY! This chapter is greatly lacking action and angst and tragedy, seeing as its pretty much one of the happiest times of Kagome's life BUT it will get better, I swear to all of you angsty-lovers! And better meaning that there will be more blood and death, and YES! THE FEUDAL ERA SHALL RETURN! Do not despair, Inuyasha fans. It shall come back into the story in the next chapter! But don't worry too much, I tired my very best to make this chapter un-boring :

Just wanted y'all to know that, I didn't want you to think this was all about Kagome's adopted kid and his normal life in present times. Oh no, things shall not be like that at all :B

**DISCLAIMER**: I do not own InuYasha. Yay, I'm officially a broken record.

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Kagome was waiting patiently in the orphanage's office, the elderly woman behind the desk in front of her going through a few required papers. Kagome bit her lip gently in nervousness.

_What if I can't adopt a child because I'm not qualified or something? Or they think I'll be a bad mother? Wait, That's the same thing! Ack! But what if I can't? What do I do then? I'll never marry or date any man, let alone have his child!_

"Oh, Ms. Higurashi, there's no need for you to be so nervous!"

The woman said in a sugary way, though not to the point where it was fake or over sweet. Kagome blinked, waking from her reverie, and was almost a little surprised to find herself in the Sunny Orphanage office. She blushed slightly in embarrassment. The little old woman laid the papers down on the desk, smiling at the twenty year old woman who had so unquestionably decided to adopt a child.

"You definitely prove to become a wonderful mother, Ms. Higurashi."

Kagome blushed at this compliment and brushed her hair out of her brown eyes, now looking directly at the elderly lady.

"Thank you, Miss."

The aged woman smiled cheerfully and continued on with their adoption process.

"Would you like to adopt a boy or girl, then?"

"A boy, thank you."

Kagome answered quickly, her answer precise and long thought over.

Kagome had stayed up most the night in her excitement, and in that time she had thought long and hard of what gender and age of the child she wanted to adopt. After a long time of contemplating these factors, she had finally come to the decision that her conscience had given her, to adopt a baby boy.

"And which age group would you like?"

"I would like to adopt an infant, thank you. The younger, the better if you don't mind."

The woman serving Kagome simply beamed at her brightly, as if telling her she also liked Kagome's choice. With that, she stood from her cushioned chair.

"One moment, Ms. Higurashi, I think I know the perfect child for you."

The woman then swiftly retreated back into a different room. Kagome shifted in excitement and anxiety in her seat, waiting for the lady to return. Her mind was racing and her heart was thumping loudly in her ears. How bothersome excitement could be when mingled with nervousness! When she did return, Kagome gasped in joy at the sight.

Wrapped warmly and securely in a blue blanket was a small baby boy. He couldn't have been more than two months old! The baby's eyes were currently closed, though they were a beautiful brown colour, and his hair had not yet started to grow, so his hair colour was currently unidentified.

Kagome stood and walked over to the child, the woman handing the baby boy to Ms. Higurashi. Kagome gently cradled the fragile being in her arms, lightly touching his cute face with her other hand in a gentle way. The baby was quietly sleeping.

"He's only about two months old, Ms. Higurashi, and that is all we know."

"All you know?"

Kagome questioned, though her eyes were set upon the oddly quiet child in her arms.

"Yes, he was found at our doorstep two nights ago. Someone had just left him there, the poor darling. We don't even know his name or parents."

"Poor child."

Kagome agreed, frowning lightly. The elderly woman shook her head, dismissing the thought.

"Anyways, because of this he doesn't have a name. You may name him whatever you please."

Kagome silently drifted back into a light reverie again, pondering about what to name him. Curse her stupidity! She hadn't thought of a name for her child, the most important thing! She looked down at the sleeping child in her arms.

_What about the name Isamu, it means bravery. No, it doesn't have a nice ring to it, really... what names mean warrior?_

Suddenly, Kagome's eyes widened slightly in shock of what she was thinking.

_No! Why do I intend to name my child after him? I never want to remember those painful memories.. I can't name him after Inuyasha in any way!_

Her thoughts were true, for to have the torture of remembering such vivid memories every time she simply called out her son's name would near kill her. She didn't ever want to remember.

"Ms. Higurashi? Have you thought of a name?"

Kagome looked over at the woman, realizing that she had spaced out for a moment just then.

"His name will be.."

Her gaze fell again to the child in her arms. Hearing no sound utter from him, the perfect name floated into her head, a name that would not hurt her.

"Kiyoshi, the quiet one."

The woman smiled brightly, hearing Kagome's dubbing to the infant, even though she had spoken so softly. Kagome felt overwhelmingly happy, a feeling she had not felt in such a long time.

Kagome Higurashi then finished signing the adoption papers, and slowly walked out of the adoption agency in great bliss, an emotion she had been feeling ever since she had first laid eyes on who she knew would be her adopted son. In her bag were the adoption papers, and in her arms was her newly adopted boy, Kiyoshi. Kagome was a mother now, even if not to a blood son.

**----**

As the months passed by, Kagome began to realize just how much Kiyoshi did not live up to his name. The only times he was quiet was when he slept or ate, the rest of the time spent either crying, making a mess or being incredibly disobedient. Poor Kagome was having some trouble with the child.

"Kiyoshi, sweetie, hush, hush.."

Kagome said gently and soothingly, trying her best to calm the baby in her arms. She didn't know what was wrong! He wasn't hungry or thirsty or dirty, she knew that, but he refused to sleep as well, Kagome know finding little reasons for him to cry.

"Meow?"

Buyo's overweight body sat on the floor at his mistress' feet, looking up at the child. His tail twitched every so often, and he meowed for attention again.

"Buyo! I'm busy!"

Kagome scolded the plump, elderly cat who had managed to live this old. Things weren't going her way. She quickly took Kiyoshi up to his room and set him gently on the soft carpet on the floor, searching through the toy-box for something to pacify him.

She tried toy after toy with no success, soon beginning to think her son was simply too picky to please. As the toys grew thinner, however, Kiyoshi noticed one toy that pleased him.

It was a stuffed dog, limply hanging out of the toy-box with its sewn pink tongue lolling out of its soft plush mouth. It was the same size of a normal teddy bear and was all white, save for the brown of the inside of its ears. A red ribbon was tied around its neck in a neat bow.

"Dog!"

Kagome gasped. This was Kiyoshi's first word. Kagome turned and picked up the stuffed dog, handing it to Kiyoshi with a huge smile on her face.

"Yes Kiyoshi, it's a dog!"

"Dog."

The small child said as he hugged the plushy tightly to his tiny body. Kagome had finally found something to calm little Kiyoshi down. She smiled triumphantly to herself.

**-- Five Years Later --**

"Okkasan, what is that?"

Kagome looked down at the five-year-old child sitting on her lap at his question.

"What's what, Kiyoshi?"

She asked gently, curious as to what her son was asking about. Kiyoshi lifted his right arm to point across the yard from the steps they were sitting on outside, the stuffed dog Kiyoshi loved so dear held tightly in his left arm. Kagome followed her son's pointing finger only to see the boarded-up shrine.

Her heart sank.

"That, Okkasan."

Kiyoshi stated simply, curiosity clear in his voice. Kiyoshi was so inquisitive.

"It's the shrine, but we never go in there anymore."

"Why? What's in the shrine?"

Kagome bit her bottom lip lightly.

"A well. But it doesn't have any water in; it's dried up long ago. My grandfather used to keep some weird old artifacts and such in there, but there's nothing there now."

"Why is it boarded up?"

"Because, Kiyoshi, we must never enter it."

"Why?"

Kagome sighed. Why was it that her son was so curious? Ah well, he was still a young child anyways. But the questions he asked also made the memories that had been so long forsaken and shunned slowly revive. She rested her head gently atop if Kiyoshi's smaller one.

"Because, Kiyoshi, it is dangerous. Do you know what is in the well?"

Kagome's adopted child shook his head.

"Youkai, Kiyoshi. They don't like humans, especially little children. They'll eat you up if you go in there!"

"But Mommy, all demons aren't evil, right?"

Kiyoshi asked innocently, obviously not frightened very much by the thoughts of demons and monsters. Kagome had always found that odd about her son. When other children his age heard of demons lurking in the darkness, ready to gobble them up, they would always be terribly afraid, while Kiyoshi would only question, though there was a little fear.

Kagome thought on this before answering.

"No, not all, there are the few that are not bad. But the ones in that well are all bad, Kiyoshi, and they are not nice in any way."

Kiyoshi trembled slightly.

"I don't want them to eat me."

Fear was finally evident in his voice now.

"Don't worry Kiyoshi-chan, Kin will always protect you from them."

Kin was the stuffed dog, named by Kiyoshi once he had learned to speak. He hugged the stuffed dog closer to him in a loving way.

"Is Kin strong enough?"

"Yes. Kin is a mighty dog that will always protect and love you, like I will. Kin is strong enough to protect you. Now, come inside. It's getting dark."

As Kiyoshi walked back into his home, holding his mother's hand, he looked over his shoulder at the old shrine. He then looked down at the stuffed dog named Kin.

Kiyoshi smiled.

**-- Ten Years Later --**

Fifteen year old Kiyoshi Higurashi bolted upright in his bed at the ring of his alarm clock, nearly falling out of the bed in the process.

"Kiyoshi?"

He heard his mother ask from outside of his bedroom door.

"I'm fine, Mom! I just have to get dressed for school and get breakfast!"

He answered, getting out of bed. He heard giggling from behind the door and his mother opened the door and peeked in.

"Kiyoshi, sweetheart, it's Saturday."

Kagome giggled again and Kiyoshi blushed in embarrassment.

"I knew that."

He retorted stubbornly, not liking being wrong. Kagome only laughed again.

"Since your up, I'll make you some breakfast. I'll tell you when it's done."

With that, Kagome closed the door and headed downstairs, humming a tune to herself. Kiyoshi sighed at his stupidity, decided to get dressed since he was awake now. The teenager threw open the closet door and a minor avalanche of soccer balls and basketballs and a load of rumpled clothing fell on top of him. He grumbled and threw the items to the side.

As he stood, Kin fell out of the shelf in the closet.

The boy looked down at the worn stuffed dog and slowly crouched down to pick it up. Poor Kin's right eye was now only dangling by a thread and the stitching of where his mother had repaired Kin's left arm where it had been torn away many years ago. The stuffed animal looked sad.

Kiyoshi gently touched the stitching and frowned. He was upset by the neglect this toy had obviously had, though it also troubled him that he even cared about such a ridiculous thing. But the teenager's conscience took hold and he found himself carrying the stuffed dog downstairs for his mother to fix it.

**-- A Few Days Later --**

Kiyoshi glanced across the yard, his brown eyes setting upon the shrine that his mother had always told him never to go into. He had always wondered why she banished him from the shrine, and she had grounded him for a month when she had found him so much as peeking into it from between a few boards.

"Keh, what's so bad about that place?"

He thought aloud. Kin sat in his lap and his backpack that was filled with textbooks and notebooks was on the ground next to him, as if someone had simply thrown it on the ground. Kiyoshi's adoptive mother wouldn't be home for another hour or so.

Curious, he laid the treasured stuffed dog on top of his bag and stood, walking over to the shrine. The adolescent looked in through the boards that sealed the shrine closed, the few streams on sunlight inside making a spotlight for the dust that floated within it.

He pulled back, and was soon searching around the yard for something that could help him pry the plywood off the door. Kiyoshi wanted to be inside more than anything at the time.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**Mistress Phoenix:** Okay, I am terribly sorry if this is slow-moving and even somewhat boring to any of you, but the next chapter and onwards, It will become better! I will re-introduce all the characters and what happened to them, and the feudal era and its many demons and fantasies will return, Along with the tragedy I have created from deep within my mind for you to enjoy :)

Oh, and have you noticed that Kin seems to resemble someone we know? Hehe, yes I have purposely made Kin like our loveable Sesshomaru! How cute, he's like a stuffed doggie :P


	4. An Old Era

**_Mistress Phoenix_ Says:** Now that the story is starting to get good, I am actually very much wanting to write this story. Yes, I am well aware of the terrible grammar in that sentence, but I tend to do that in my normal speech. My mind just works like that.

Anywhos, I'd very much appreciate it if you reviewed, I'm a perfectionist so I tend to go back and change things A LOT. And thank you to the five people who have reviewed so far, it may not be many but knowing that my work is appreciated feels so nice :)

**DISCLAIMER:** I do not own Inuyasha or any of the characters (Except for Kiyoshi and other OC's (Yes, a few more will be introduced later on) that is)

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"Oh, come on, there has to be something!"

Kiyoshi said furiously, finding himself unable to locate something that proved useful for tearing the plywood off of the shrine. He walked over to the small shed at the other side of yard, throwing the door open. Kiyoshi then started to rummage through the shed.

"Aha!"

The fifteen-year-old stated triumphantly as his search ended in the finding of a crowbar. He took it and went back to the old shrine.

After a few moments of trying to pull the boards off with the crowbar, the wood finally fell free, one of the doors now able to be opened. Kiyoshi silently slipped through, finally finding himself in this forsaken shrine. He dropped the crowbar as if it where worthless.

The floating dust caused Kagome's son to cough a few times, and every time he took a step forward, he would stir the dust that had so long stayed still, creating a small dust cloud. Kiyoshi looked around as he slowly walked to the well.

The boy would have peered down the well if it weren't boarded up as tightly as the doors. He silently cursed himself for not bringing the crowbar along with him, and turned to retrieve the tool he had used to get inside this abandoned place.

And for the second time, Kiyoshi was prying open a boarded up area.

With a grunt and a lot if force, the board soon came free, just as the previous boards had.

Kiyoshi shoved the thick wooden board over onto the floor, which created the biggest dust cloud yet. It made him sneeze and cough several times, but he continued on with what he was doing.

The boy looked down the well to see that, just as his mother had always told him, the well was bone dry. He simply stood there for a while, trapped within his thoughts.

_Youkai, huh? I believed it ten years ago, but I was only five then, Mother. Why is that you've always shunned this place? What's so bad about it? I could understand if it was because you feared I would fall in accidentally when I was younger, but why would still insist that I stay away from here today?_

Kiyoshi's gaze never wandered from the dark bottom of the well.

_What happened here, Mom?_

As he thought, Kiyoshi's eyes began adjusted to the darkness, and was now able to see the bottom of the well, though not perfectly. He saw something down there, and squinted a little to try and see if he could identify it.

It turned out that the object he saw was the rope ladder that Kagome had thrown down there so many years ago. This stirred his curiosity even more.

_A rope ladder? Why is that down there?_

The teenager inquired in his thoughts, curious as to why such an item would be there. Had someone dropped it before his mother had sealed it up? Had someone used it to climb in and out of the well?

He looked down at the digital watch on his wrist, noting that Kagome would return home very soon. Kiyoshi then looked back down into the well. Within seconds, he had jumped onto the ledge of the well and let himself fall down the darkened hole.

_I'm already in trouble for sure and Mom's coming home soon, so she can get me out of here once I'm done looking around!_

He thought, smirking as he fell.

Logically, Kiyoshi or anyone else who knew nothing about the well's time traveling abilities would have expected to land on the ground, but when he came near the ground, something very strange happened to him.

"What the hell?!"

Kiyoshi shouted loudly. Instead of landing atop the ground's surface, he found himself falling through an odd world of blue-ish colours, and it was nothing like anything he had ever seen before…

----

Kagome Higurashi walked up the stairs to reach her home, a smile on her face. Her cheerful mood had lingered with her the entire day, having have had a nice day at work and whatnot. She expected to come home to find her adopted son waiting her for her, just as any other time she left him home alone, and she expected that life would be normal today and the rest of her life.

Kagome did not, however, anticipate what she came home to.

"Kiyoshi, sweetheart, I'm back!"

Again in her wrong expectations, Kagome thought that Kiyoshi would answer her with a hello at least, but when she received no response from the teenaged boy, she began to wonder.

"Kiyoshi?"

She called again. Curious, she started to search around the house.

----

Kiyoshi had closed his eyes tight, blocking this terrible ordeal from view, when he suddenly felt himself lightly fall to the ground. He opened his chocolate brown eyes, and found himself in the well.

"What the hell just happened?"

He thought aloud, standing up. The teenager looked up to see light at the top of the well, which he found unusual, for the shrine was boarded up and dark, wasn't it?

"Mom?"

His masculine voice echoed against the empty well.

"Mom?"

Kiyoshi asked again. Getting no response, as his mother was getting back home, he decided it best that he try climbing out of this stupid well. He felt very uneasy.

The boy noticed some vines growing on the well's insides, so began his ascent.

_Funny.. I never noticed these here before.._

And when he reached the top, he knew why he hadn't seen them. It was because this wasn't home, this was a forest.

And it was also because this wasn't his time, but the feudal era of Japan.

----

By the time she had searched nearly every room in the house, Kagome had become downright frantic.

"Kiyoshi! Kiyoshi!"

She called her adopted son's name over and over and still Kagome got no response. She threw the front door open, running outside.

"KIYOSHI!"

Still no answer.

----

"W-where am I?"

Kiyoshi said nervously, putting his feet on the unfamiliar ground. He looked around and noticed the God Tree standing tall above the other trees in this forest.

"I guess I should go there."

He said in uncertainty, starting to walk to the one thing that was recognizable to him in this strange and unfamiliar world.

Definitely his mother's son, even if not by blood. He was doing the exact same thing Kagome did nearly twenty years ago, and was going through the same situation of confusion and nervousness of first finding himself in the feudal era.

"Mom?"

Kiyoshi asked aloud yet again when he reached the God Tree. His home was not there, and he became even more afraid than he already was. Not knowing what else to do, Kiyoshi walked over to the large tree.

A cluster of pink flowers grew at the tree's roots, grown from the seeds of the long dead flowers that Sango had placed there so many years ago. The original was long ago deceased, and now there were new ones created from it in their place.

Kiyoshi glanced at the beautiful flowers, trying to get his mind of the current situation.

"Wow, I never saw flowers like these before.. They look like something Mom would like."

He started talking to himself, trying not to feel so alone. It was then when he noticed something written on the tree. It caught his eye, and Kiyoshi soon found himself reading it out loud.

"In loving memory of Inuyasha?"

Though Kiyoshi was certain that he had not heard such a name in his life, the name was oddly familiar to him. The name seemed like it belonged to a person had known for a very long time.

"Inuyasha.."

He whispered the odd name yet again, and he suddenly yelped in pain. Kiyoshi's ears and head suddenly prickled with slight pain and slowly, the same painful feeling crept into the tips of his fingers.

"What's going on?"

He said aloud, startled. Kiyoshi's fear only deepened when he saw what was happening to his nails. They were growing at an abnormal rate, and they became thicker, stronger and sharper, until they were no doubt a pair of claws. Having been paying to much shocked attention to his nails, he didn't realize a few other changes that had happened to him.

"What the hell just happened?!"

His yell made him realize that his hearing had become much more acute, and suddenly it seemed as though he could smell everything around him. This rapid acuteness to all his senses startled him even more so than what he was already, and when he felt for his ears, Kiyoshi nearly had a heart attack from so much fear.

They weren't there.

Not on the side of his head where they were supposed to be, at least. His human ears were gone, but they had been replaced with two furry dog ears on the top of his head.

"WHAT IS GOING ON?!"

The poor boy, he was scared out of his wits.

"Wha – What's happened to my hair? It's white! And long! And not mine!"

Kiyoshi screamed every change he discovered, and indeed, they were all true. The only change he himself did not notice was the fact that his eyes were no longer brown, but a golden-yellow color. Terrified, he fell to the ground, clutching his head as if willing everything to return to normal.

And so Kiyoshi sat there, trying his best not to cry, and wondering what on earth had just happened. He didn't know who this Inuyasha person was, he didn't know what or why this had happened to him, he didn't know where the hell he was, but there was one thing he didn't have the slightest clue about.

Kiyoshi had absolutely no idea that he was the reincarnation of Inuyasha.

**--Meanwhile, as this was happening--**

Far, far away from the place Kiyoshi was currently, was none other than Lord Sesshomaru.

"Sesshomaru-sama, I gathered food for you."

Rin, now in her late twenties, said softly from behind her adoptive father. She held a collection of food items that she had gathered for the man who had fathered her for her whole life. She waited for Sesshomaru to answer.

Sesshomaru did not look at Rin, but instead stayed in his current position of sitting upon the ground, leaning against a tree he had found. He did not answer.

"Sesshomaru-sama? Did you hear me?"

"Yes, Rin. I am not hungry."

Deciding it best not to pester her lord into eating something, she set the food down on the ground next to him and sat at his side.

Rin looked at her 'father' with her forever innocent and loving eyes, soon staring into his own, empty ones. Sesshomaru's golden eyes had drastically dulled in color and his pupils were hardly visible anymore, so it may seem from even short afar that Sesshomaru had no color in his eyes, only white. The reason for this albino-looking state was because Sesshomaru was now blind.

It was poison that had killed his eyesight, a powerful poison from a vile dragon. The dragon knew that poison would not be as effective to a poison-user such as Sesshomaru, but it also knew that the Lord's weakest place was his eyes, and so used his claws to scratch them and infect them with poison. If you looked closely, you could still see the faint scar that the dragon's claws left across Sesshomaru's eyes. Sesshomaru, of course, slaughtered the dragon for doing such a thing, but by then it was already much too late, Sesshomaru's eyesight was permanently gone. Jaken was killed during the battle, Rin untouched.

Sorrow and great pity filled Rin's eyes at recalling such a horrid memory, and Sesshomaru easily sensed her emotions.

"I do not seek pity."

Rin nodded, though she knew her lord couldn't see her.

Ever since Sesshomaru went blind, Rin had become his eyes, guiding him through his life. As a blind being, his other senses had become much more acute, but without Rin, it would still be difficult for even a youkai like himself to live easily.

The kazen youkai (Perfect demon) lifted his head slightly as the soft breeze brought a faint, familiar scent to his nose.

_That scent.. it is so faint, but it is also so familiar.. Could it be..?_

"Rin, we shall leave now. Come."

At his orders, the young woman followed after her adoptive father, telling him of roots or anything else he might trip up with as they walked.

----

As Kiyoshi transformed while Sesshomaru and Rin headed in his direction, Kagome was also doing something in this certain account.

"Kiyoshi!"

She nearly screamed his name this time, and when she rounded the corner of her house and saw the old shrine, her heart skipped a beat in sheer terror.

The plywood was torn away, the door opened and lightly banging against the wall as the wind blew it.

"Kiyoshi?"

Kagome asked as she slowly walked into the shrine.

_This place.. this horrid place stirs so many terrible memories.. Inuyasha.._

She tried her very best to shake the feelings, but found herself unable to. As she neared the well and peered down, her heart sank lower than what it already was.

_Kiyoshi.. He's gone down the well. He's in the feudal era._


	5. Reincarnation

**A/N:** I apologize if this whole Kiyoshi's being the reincarnation of the man Kagome loved seems a little disturbing to you, but I shall not make it into a love thing between Kagome and her adopted son.. I have a different story in mind for them. And just for the record, I absolutely adore Sesshomaru, there just must be angst in this story, so yeah. Also, Rin's going to refer to Sesshomaru as 'Chichioya' (Means Father.. 'Tis what Sesshoumaru calls his father in the third movie) because he did sort of adopt her and I like it. It's just so cute.

But anyways, please give me your feedback and I hope you all enjoy the fifth chapter of Second Generation!

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Inuyasha. Enough said.

* * *

_This scent is strangely familiar to that of my half brother Inuyasha.. But had he not perished nearly twenty years ago?_

"Chichioya?"

Rin asked quietly as she followed Sesshomaru obediently. Sesshomaru had remained silent for the whole time he had been walking, lost within his mind and thoughts. This scent troubled him.

"Hmm?"

Sesshomaru mumbled dreamily, shaking out of his reverie at Rin's soft voice. He had turned his head slightly in Rin's direction, even if he knew that he could never see her joyful face again. The inu youkai sometimes seemed to think that maybe if he looked hard enough, his eyesight would return to him. But it didn't. Sesshomaru knew his sight was eternally lost.

"May I ask where we are going?"

The blind youkai paused before answering the woman whom he had saved many years ago, reflecting on what his answer was. He hesitated before saying his answer, pondering how to word it.

"By what I know, to visit an old enemy."

"This isn't really happening... It's a dream... Yeah, that's it, just a dream..."

Kiyoshi wasn't convincing himself at all.

The boy slowly stood, releasing his head from his tight grasp, now golden eyes refusing to look at his surroundings, afraid that if he looked too hard that this nightmare may come true. Only now did it really sink it to Kiyoshi's mind was this was, indeed, all terribly real.

Kiyoshi looked down at his new claws, taking in all his changes and these strange new instincts and abilities. Then an odd smell came to his sensitive nose, something he had not smelled before. It wasn't really an odor or fragrance but more of... a creature's scent? His instincts told him that this was indeed the scent of a nearby living being, but his mind just didn't comprehend this new information.

As his nose had told him, a large, gray, furry creature charged at him from the forest, snarling loudly. Kiyoshi jumped out of the way with a inu hanyou's agility, landing faultlessly on his feet.

"What? How did I do that?"

Kiyoshi said out loud, shocked at his own reaction. He looked up to see what had attacked him to see a large furry animal that looked very similar to a giant weasel. He recognized it from the many stories his mother told him as a child.

"Youkai?"

The youkai roared and attacked him again, Kiyoshi avoiding it just in time for the second time round. Not knowing what to do, or what he _could_ do, Kiyoshi tried to escape the beast and didn't fight it at all, but after a while the youkai had managed to cut open his right leg with his claws. Kiyoshi yelped and stumbled over, falling to the ground. He covered his eyes and waited for the final blow... but it didn't come. Instead, he heard a male voice yell out.

"Hiraikotsu!"

He uncovered his eyes to see what was happening. Kiyoshi saw a boy that looked his age, if not a little younger, throwing what appeared to be a large boomerang at the youkai. He was dressed oddly, but Kiyoshi recognized the outfit of a taijiya, youkai slayers of feudal Japan.

_A... a taijiya?_

The human boy had short and messy deep brown hair and his brown eyes reflected the strength the young boy held. His outfit was the traditional black body suit with colored armor, his chosen color being a dark purple. A katana was sheathed and hung at his hip.

Just as quickly, a large and almost frightening looking feline creature came running through the forest, pouncing atop the now wounded weasel youkai. The youkai screeched and shook the fire cat off, running for its life.

The boy and his youkai companion then turned on Kiyoshi.

"Youkai, die!"

The taijiya yelled, raising the boomerang to attack the boy as well. When he saw the hanyou's expression, he stopped.

The hanyou boy looked horribly frightened and there was no evil at all in his aura, and there was a soft, petrified whimper coming from him. He was wounded and deathly afraid of everything around him, even himself. His un-youkai like expressions made the young taijiya lower his weapon and slowly move closer to the boy, making him scoot away.

"Get away from me!"

Kiyoshi yelled in an attempt to ward the slayer off, but there was no hiding the distraught tone in his voice. He would have growled, but he was too shocked by everything to do so. The teenager's youkai instincts told him not to trust this boy, for he would kill Kiyoshi if he did, but there was also a tug on his heart that told him _to_ trust the young taijiya. It was as though two instincts battled within him.

"Youkai, you aren't like the others."

"I'm no youkai! I'm human! I'm human! I'm... human... human…"

Kiyoshi trailed off in a low whimper, knowing that his attempts to convince himself that he was still human were failing.

The young male taijiya was curious by this demon's behavior.

_This youkai is no doubtfully harmless, his aura is not corrupted, and it seems like he's lost and delusional. Human he says? Wait, he _does_ have human blood... a hanyou? Even if he is does have youkai blood, I think Mother would like to see him. She's the one who told me that not all demons are evil after all…_

"I won't hurt you, hanyou, come with me and Kirara, we'll help you."

The transformed fire cat trotted over to Kiyoshi and nudged his face gently as though Kiyoshi was someone the fire cat knew and loved. She purred happily at the reappearance of a familiar face. The taijiya laughed.

"She likes you."

Kiyoshi cautiously stood and gently scratched behind the feline's ears. He felt as though he knew this creature from some other time, but he was certain he had not encountered a flying, flaming cat demon in his life before. Even this boy made him feel safe, as though he too were an old friend.

The taijiya climbed on Kirara's back and Kiyoshi hesitantly seated himself on her back behind the boy. The fire cat then jumped into the sky and set off for home.

"My name is Taku by the way, what's yours?"

"Kiyoshi." He then looked away, becoming lost within his thoughts.

* * *

"KIYOSHI!" 

Kagome cried as she pulled herself out of the old well. She was hysterical.

"Kiyo..." She trailed off.

_I... I vowed never to return to this place. I vowed never to remember those memories.. Oh, I can't be here, I can't..._

Tears started to cloud her vision, the same way they had twenty years ago.

"Stop feeling sorry for yourself, Kagome! Kiyoshi needs you!" She said firmly, looking up and shaking away her tears. "He doesn't know this place and I have to save him! I'll take him home and we will forget about all of this!"

Kagome stated firmly, the only creature listening being a robin that was quietly sitting on the well's edge, preening his feathers. The middle-aged woman silently tried to unearth where her adopted son could have gone... when she saw the tree.

_Goshinboku. Perhaps he went there, it's the only thing familiar to him here._

Kagome then hesitantly set off in the direction of the sacred tree in search in her adopted son, the feeling of a sickening deja-vu creeping slowly into Kagome's mind. There was a dreadful feeling forming inside of her now, the feeling that the closer she got to this beloved tree, the more it ripped her heart in two.

She pushed the bushes out of the way, the Goshinboku welcoming her long awaited return. Its branches swayed lightly in the wind, the leaves ruffling as they did when she first saw this tree in the feudal era. Kagome had secretly wished that she would push aside the bushes to see her beloved hanyou's peaceful face, eyes closed in an endless sleep and expression calm and still, something she so rarely saw when he was alive. She longed to see that silly boy bound to the tree, she longed for a new beginning. Though the wish was unrealistic, it crushed her heart to realize that Inuyasha truly was gone, that he would not return and that this wasn't a twisted dream, it was all real.

Kagome slowly approached the tree, staring up at it as though it would make her pain go away. It didn't.

She slowly fell to her knees, suddenly feeling as though all her will power had been drained. Kagome gently ran her hand over the collection of pink flowers that had grown at the tree's base, smiling lightly as they danced with the wind. Her brown eyes averted upwards to see the name written on it.

"Inuyasha."

The name brought tears to her eyes.

"I'm sorry." She wanted so much just to speak with him again, to be with him. She completely forgot why she had come here for the moment, continuing to whisper to her love's grave in hopes that he was listening.

"So they buried you here? Under the Goshinboku?" She smiled, brushing her tears away with the back of her hand. "That's good, it will always protect you now. Inuyasha, I'm sorry that I wasn't here for your funeral, I just couldn't bring myself to return here... I still have the Tessaiga, Inuyasha." She looked up as though she would see Inuyasha standing right there next to her. "I think you would be glad to know that I never replaced you with another man... I adopted a child though. His name is Kiyoshi, I think you'd like him…"

She rambled on to Inuyasha's grave but when she mentioned her adopted son to Inuyasha, she suddenly remembered why she was here in the first place.

"I thought you too had perished, woman."

Startled by another's voice, Kagome looked up to see who had spoken to her.

"Sesshomaru? What do you want?"

The youkai lord did not answer or look to her, but simply held his head high in the air. His eyes narrowed, he knew he scented out his brother here. Rin emerged from the bushes and stood silently behind him, watching him curiously.

"Hey! Don't ignore me like that! You could at least look at me, you know!"

Sesshomaru growled a loud warning to her at this. "Insolent wench, I no longer have my eyesight! Do not remind me of that!"

Only now did Kagome notice the lack of color in his once golden eyes. Even if Sesshomaru _had_ tried to kill Inuyasha in the past, she naturally felt guilty for reminding Sesshomaru of such an unhappy memory.

"Gomen ne, Sesshomaru.."

Sesshomaru ignored her.

"My little brother's scent is strong here. He was here only a short while ago."

Kagome pulled herself off the ground to her feet and stared in confusion and shock at Sesshomaru.

"Inuyasha.. died many years ago." Kagome had trouble saying those words together.

Sesshomaru sniffed the air again. "There is no mistaking his foul scent. I am well aware that he perished over twenty years ago, do not assume that I am brainless. Although.." The inu youkai paused for a moment, sniffing the air yet again. "..It is not his scent completely. His kin? Did you bear him a child, woman?"

"No! I didn't do that with Inuyasha!" Kagome said, not knowing if she should be proud of that or not. Sesshomaru frowned.

"Then all of what you said to him went unheard, his soul has reincarnated."

"Re-reincarnated?" Kagome's heart sank.

_Sesshomaru said that Inuyasha's scent is here, so his reincarnation must have been here not too long ago... Kiyoshi would have probably been here not too long ago either. Oh no, no... Kiyoshi can't be..._

"Sesshomaru, please, have you seen a young boy with black hair and – oh no, gomen ne! I forgot!" Kagome said quickly after realizing that she had asked if he had _seen_ Kiyoshi, which obviously he did not. Sesshomaru had growled angrily at her again, but he calmed down a little after she apologized.

"I am not inclined to help you find this boy."

"Sesshomaru, can you please help me find Inuyasha's reincarnation?"

The inu youkai scoffed. "Help you? Why? I shall find my little brother and kill him, do not get in my way. Come, Rin, we are leaving."

Rin nodded and turned to follow her father. Before she left with him, she smiled to Kagome. "Good-bye Kagome-sama! I hope you find whoever you are looking for!"

_She's the child?_ Kagome thought, having not recognized her beforehand. "Thank-you, Rin-chan."

Sesshomaru frowned._ Little brother, I failed to kill you in your past life, but I assure you that I will be the one to kill you in this one.

* * *

_

When Taku and Kirara had returned to their village, the villagers had been quite cheerful to see their taijiya return home and welcomed him back with smiles plastered to their faces. When they noticed Kiyoshi with him, the started whispering to each other and backed away. From what the hanyou could tell, the villagers were afraid of him. This made him feel uneasy as well.

"Mother! I'm home!" Taku announced when he reached a little hut.

"Welcome home, Taku-kun." Said his mother from inside.

Kiyoshi climbed off Kirara's back and the fire cat transformed back into its smaller form, purring when it did. Taku called out to his mother again from outside the hut.

"MotherI found a hanyou that you might want to see."

Taku's mother sighed and stood, soon emerging from their home. "Why do you want me to see this han.."

Sango trailed off at seeing the hanyou boy in front of her.

"Inu.. Inuyasha?"

Kiyoshi froze at the name. Wasn't that the name that was written on the Goshinboku?

"Inuyasha, it IS you! You have returned from the dead!"

Sango yelled giddily, throwing herself on him in a hug, refusing to left go. Kiyoshi yelped and tried to shake the woman off him.

"Get off!"

The taijiya woman finally let go and she looked hurt by the hanyou's words.

"Don't you remember me, Inuyasha? It's Sango, your old friend." Sango frowned when Kiyoshi did not recognize her. "Do you remember Kirara? Miroku? Shippou?"

Kiyoshi shook his head. "Um, Lady, I really don't know what you're talking about and my name isn't Inuyasha.."

"Kikyou? Kagome? You remember them, don't you? _Don't_ you?"

Kiyoshi perked up at his mother's name. "Kagome Higurashi?"

Sango beamed happily. "Yes, you remember your lover!"

"My WHAT? Kagome Higurashi is my mother!" Kiyoshi said, horrified.

"Okkasan?" Sango said, confused. She moved closer to the boy, inspecting him closely. Her son Taku stood to the side, puzzled at his mother's odd behavior. "You _are_ different from Inuyasha. You are not him. Is he your father?"

"My father? I was adopted and my mother isn't married… I don't know who my father is! Hell, I don't know who this Inuyasha guy is either!"

"Hmm..." Sango tapped her temple lightly, thinking hard on what could be going on.

"I don't know what's happened here, Inuyasha, but we're going to find out."

"My name is Kiyoshi!"

"Taku-kun, we're going to visit Granny Kaede, get Kirara." She turned back to the hanyou. "Don't worry, Inuyasha-kun, Granny Kaede will have an explanation."


	6. The Truth

**A/N:** I'm sorry for not updating in such a while, but you should know by now that I'm not that committed. ;

Also, in response to Lady-Sttar's question (Is this fic a Sesshoumaru/Kagome): Hell no! That is probably the one couple I hate the most, it just doesn't make any sense. Sorry if I scared you, just remember that I'll never write a Sesshoumaru/Kagome fiction!

Also, I'll be gone for vacation in a few hours before posting this, so it's not at it's best. I just had to get it posted before I left, it was driving me crazy! But I'll fix it up a little when I return, so enjoy for now and ja ne!

**DISCLAIMER: **I don't have anything clever to say... so yeah.

* * *

"Granny Kaede?"

Sango gently pulled back the straw door to Kaede's little hut eagerly, poking her head inside to see if the elderly miko was home.

"Yes, Sango? Is something bothering ye?" Kaede turned around to face the taijiya, hearing eagerness and excitement in Sango's voice.

Kaede had aged drastically over the many years, wrinkles deeper, eyes faded. But her spirit hadn't dampened at all, and her health was oddly excellent for a human her age. The villagers had always wondered why the woman had lived for so long, but now the thought barely bothered them. All that they knew was that when Kaede finally passed away, the miko in training, a young woman named Shika, would take over as the village miko.

Sango smiled and stepped into the small hut that Kaede called home. "Yes, there is something I'd like you to see. Taku, come in with our little friend!"

The young taijiya soon ambled into the hut as well, dragging a hesitant Kiyoshi along behind him by the sleeve of his sleeve. Kaede spoke up before Sango had the chance to babble on more, her old eyes setting upon the new hanyou.

"My... you look remarkably similar to our Inuyasha."

She smiled softly and walked over to him. Kiyoshi didn't say anything but instead stared at the elderly miko, wondering what he should do next. What was there for him to say?

"Ye only recently acquired these youkai attributes, didn't ye, child?"

"Yes, how did you - "

"Kagome wore strange clothing as well..." She interrupted the boy, referring to Kiyoshi's modern-day clothes, "…I knew ye would return."

Kiyoshi titled his head in confusion. "Return..?"

Kaede just smiled.

_Sesshomaru said that Inuyasha's reincarnation was here only recently, he couldn't have gotten that far then… _

A flashback of the times when Inuyasha gave Kagome piggy-back rides suddenly entered her mind, destroying her first thought.

_What am I thinking? If he has those same youkai powers, then he could be VERY far away by now!_

Kagome sighed in frustration and quickly turned to leave the forest, feeling as though she should just give up. She looked up from the grassy ground to see the village that she so often visited twenty years ago… Kaede's village.

"Perhaps someone knows something here…"

Kagome stumbled down the hill, nearing the familiar village as she went. Her heart was being torn in two more than ever now… so many good times she had spent with her beloved, silly, stupid hanyou in this village and to return here filled her mind with those beautiful and heartwarming times. But now that he was long since deceased, the blissful memories became everlasting scars, painful reminders of what she lost and what she would never have again. It was bittersweet, just as everything in Kagome's world had become.

She shook the thoughts away, but the emotions remained.

_Just find Kiyoshi, take him and get out of here… Nail up the shrine and well, never speak of this again…_

Tears started forming on the sides of Kagome's eyes and when she blinked them away and looked up, she realized that she had reached the village already. Wiping away a tear, the miko looked around to see if there was anyone nearby. When she noticed an elderly woman walking down the dirt road, she ran over to her.

"Excuse me, but have you seen a young boy fifteen years old nearby? He has black hair, brown eyes.."

"Kagome-sama?" The woman gasped, recognizing the miko even though Kagome had aged twenty odd years. "The miko that left so long ago? You've actually come back?" The woman was shocked to see the miko return

Inside the hut, Kiyoshi's new ears twitched at the woman's words from outside, finding his head turning in the direction in which it had come from. He turned and ran out of the hut to see his adoptive mother in the near distance.

"Mother!"

Kiyoshi exclaimed happily as he started to run to her.

Kagome's knees went weak. Kiyoshi looked too much like Inuyasha. The hair, the eyes, the claws, oh gods even the ears… It was as though he had returned from the dead. Despite this, Kagome felt happiness flood her heart. The woman caught Kiyoshi in her arms, hugging him tightly.

"Inuyasha.. you look too much like Inuyasha." She exclaimed with tears in her eyes. Kiyoshi's eyes widened and he pulled away a little.

"You too? What's going on?"

"I'd be happy to explain it to the both of you, just come inside." Kaede said with kindness in her voice.

"Granny Kaede? Is it really you?" Kagome exclaimed happily, letting go of her adoptive son to go to Kaede in the doorway of her hut. Kagome embraced the elderly woman.

"I missed you so much... Sango!"

Sango smiled brightly at seeing and hearing her best friend return. Kagome soon let go of Kaede to hug her best friend, crying with happiness.

"I'm so sorry, Sango. I didn't want to leave you like that, I just…"

"Hush. It's alright, Kagome."

"Taku, what's going on?" Kiyoshi asked his new friend at seeing each others mother hug.

Taku shrugged. "Got me."

After a few moments, all had calmed and sat down, ready for Kaede to speak. Kaede looked from Kagome to Kiyoshi, a small smile playing upon her aged face.

"As I am sure ye all know, young Kiyoshi here is the reincarnation of our Inuyasha. I think I know why this has happened…"

Kaede paused for a moment before continuing.

"Inuyasha's soul never left the grave. He resided there, even though we couldn't see any apparition. Fifteen years ago, his spirit became restless. It was easy to sense that. I believe that he was trying to warn us of a danger to come, but we couldn't decide what it was. Eventually, his spirit disappeared almost completely. I, nor anyone else, could feel his presence there again. This explains why."

Kiyoshi frowned slightly. "So the spirit of Inuyasha just suddenly disappeared?"

"Precisely. That was fifteen years ago... around the time ye were born, correct?"

Kiyoshi blinked and nodded. "So then... it disappeared because it had reincarnated into another body... me."

The elderly priestess nodded. "I believe that he reincarnated so that he could come back to finish whatever it was that he did not complete in his first life."

Kagome looked puzzled. "But Granny Kaede, if that was the case then how would he be able to return to this time era to do so?"

Sango nodded in agreement. "I was wondering that too."

"The Bone-Eaters Well."

Everyone paused for a moment and Taku spoke up. "But how would the reincarnate know where to find the well? And how to use it?"

A thought suddenly struck Kiyoshi. "Because I was reincarnated as Kagome's adoptive son. I'm not biological, but I'm still a big part of her life." He looked up at Kaede. "I'm right, aren't I?"

Everyone looked to Kaede and she nodded.

"Yes child, ye are. Fate made _you _Inuyasha's reincarnation because then it would be close to the well and able to return. Kagome was the link to this era."

The hanyou nodded. "I understand that, but what I don't is this. Why did I gain Inuyasha's youkai traits?"

"Inuyasha was part youkai, so his soul was part youkai as well. The powers you now have are his, passed on to you."

"But why have I gotten them recently? Wouldn't I have been born with them?"

"No. That youkai blood had to be awakened. To awaken it, you had to say Inuyasha's name while at the place where his soul was put to rest, his grave at the Goshinboku."

Kiyoshi remembered reading out the name on the tree. Inuyasha must have been buried there.

The elderly woman yawned after a few moments of quiet. "And that is about all I have to tell ye. Well, this old woman needs to rest." Kaede yawned again and slowly lay down.

"Alright, sleep well Granny Kaede." Kagome said softly as she left the hut with Kiyoshi and Taku. "Sango, are you coming or not?"

"I'll catch up in a minute. Taku, take our guests home." Sango turned back to Kaede when the four left.

"Why didn't you tell her what Inuyasha's soul needed to resolve?"

"It would break her heart to know… I cannot tell her."

Sango frowned. "Then I will. She will find out sooner or later anyways."

Kaede sighed. "Ye are right, I know."

Sango silently nodded and bid Kaede goodbye, turning to leave the hut.

"Sango-chan, why has Kaede lived this long? Her age for this time seems uncommon." Kagome asked her old friend as the walked through the forest to Sango's village together.

Sango sighed. "Stubborn as a mule, that woman is. She's stronger than you think, and she just never gives up on life. Says that she won't die until this is resolved."

"Until what it resolved?"

Sango froze. _How do I tell her?_

Up ahead of the two women were Taku, Kiyoshi and Kirara. They too were chatting.

"Do you just live with your mother? Where's your dad too?" Kiyoshi asked.

"…Father passed away a month ago."

"Sorry, I didn't -"

"No, don't apologize. I'm tired of people saying that they're sorry for something they know nothing about." Taku grinned lightly at his new hanyou friend. Kiyoshi grinned back.

"I like your attitude."

Taku chuckled. "Hey, you know Inuyasha? My father was a close friend of his."

"Kagome-chan.." Sango started to speak but couldn't decide on where to start.

"What is it?" She asked, worried by her friend's behavior.

"Kagome-chan, do you remember Kaede saying that Inuyasha sensed a danger to come? And that he reincarnated to finish the job?"

"Yes, I do, why?"

Sango gulped.

"Kaede didn't tell you what Inuyasha had to finish..."

"Sango, what is it? What did Inuyasha have to do?"

"Naraku.." Sango stuttered. "..is still alive."

All the colour in Kagome's face drained.


End file.
